The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-11-03
RAILWAYS IN EUROPE.
AN EXPERT ON THEIR iNFERiORlTY
TO THOSE OF AMERICA.

tenn of EarbarisIn That Sr1acks of the
Middle Ages-Young America in Cor
many.
'OEe thing is quite certain" said Mr..
Chaunccy ID. ~Depew to correspondent;
''that no railway company in the United
States could run trains ON the European plan
and retain its charter. The whole system
over there seems to me to be system Of bar
barisn that snlacks of the Middle Ages, and
I will tell you why 1 think so. In the first
place, no one is safe in the small compart-
nents. You are left there alone with several
utter strangers; perhaps only two or three
and often but one And this one may be
thief, lunatic or even a murderer, with the
others as his confederates. Under such con-
ditions, then, you are shut up in a miserable
box for an hour or more, while the train,
laundering on, browns any cries that you
could make in case of an attack. The signal
bell is out of reach, and if you are unarmed
or doze for moment you are quite at the
mercy Of any villain who may be travelling
with you. Fortunately, the evil consequences
of this system are not so great in Europe as
they certainly would be in the United States,
for there the criminal classes seem to be less
daring than with us. But even as it is rob
berries, murders and assaults are SO frequent
on continental railways as to convince any
fair minded person that men travel in Eu-
rope at the risk of their lives and women at
the risk of their honor.
'Then compare the two systems as regards
conveniences offered to tho public. pass
over untouched whet travellers in America
have long since learned to consider IS railway
necessities, but which ore absolutely unknown
in Europe. / rcfer to adequate arrangem 'nts
for eating, sleeping, lighting, heating, anase.
ment, etc.
LACE OF corvES1EyCEs.
''But must emphasize ono glaring defci-
cncy, which is SO utterly inexcusable that in
tho United States it wsuld simply cause .
riot I mean the fact that continental trains
are without oven tbs most primitive toilet
conveniences The annoyance ead suffering
occesioaed thereby Is incalculabls. Think Of
tho feeble womsn and elderly Ren, Of tie in
valids and children, who are forced to put up
With such nonstrous neglect. To be sure the
companies pretend to furnish these accom-
modations at tho stations, but as the runs are
very long, the stops short, and the weather
often inclenent, many persons aro unable to
leave the train and take advantage of even
these wretched accommodations
''Hcre is an illustration Of the sbuses Of
this system. I mention case which has
come under my own personal observation.
An American lady left her seat to enter one
Of these cabinets, ana she was actually locked
in and kept there until the train had moved
OF, simply because, having left her purse in
the cars, she was znable to pay tho few sous
that were demanded
"Anothcr serious discomfort on European
railways is caused by the incessart jolting, due
/ very largely to the small sizc and faulty con-
, struction of the cars. If you happen to ride
in the forward carriage of one of their e1-
press trains, you are thrown up and down
and from side to side with violence which
would only be cqualed in the United States
on one Of the cid corduroy roads over a
western prairie, where tho rails had been
laid simply on the ground without grading.
YOUNG AGsHIcA IN GERMANY.
'I will illustrate the autocratic character
of European government railway manage
mcnt by two incidents which / know to be
authentic. A party Of American students,
travelling through Germany, reached the sta
ton just as their train was starting. An Of
fetal called out to them not to attempt get
ting on, but as the cars were moving slowly
| they paid no attention to his caution and
stepped aboard. The result was that at the
next stop they were net by guard OF sol
first the young Americans treated the whole
affair as huge joke and inquired with mock
seriousness when the trial would come off
But they changed their tone on being in
formed that, having deliberately violated ar
ordinance Of the German empire, they had
been already tried, convicted and sentenced
to thirty days imprisonment. In fact, be
fore they realized the gravity of their situa'
ton, they were behind iron bars in the city
Jail, and it required the influence Of the
American legation at Berlin, together with
the most humiliating apologies on their owl
parts, to effect their release
"a friend Of mine was the hero Of the othel
incident, which happened at the Frankfort
depot. He was about to enter a compart
ment, where several seats were vacant, wheI
he distinctly saw one of the gentlemen inside
slip a gold piece into the hand of tho guard
who Immediately declared that the compart
ment was reserved and that no one els
could ride in it. My friend was so angry
that he at once accused the fellow Of having
received bribc, and on the charge being de
MED he added, with American directness
that the guard was a liar and thief Th,
train moved of, my friend being forced t,
find another seat At the first station he wa.
arrested for having insulted government
official, and finally, after great deal O
trouble, followed lawyers advice, made
full apology, paid all the costs and q heav,
fins and left the country in disgust. Jus
imagine-if you can-such a thing happen
ing in tho United States. .n-Philadelphi.
Times Interview.